Contender for favorite chart of all time:
Predictions vs. Reality for solar energy.
Predictions vs. Reality for solar energy.
Comments
it helps that i have my own independent means.
Also, it would have helped if the several generations between the sinking of the Lusitania and now had ADDED to the capital, instead of spending it all.
(Note the graph is about annual additions, so they thought less would be added, not there would be less in future years.)
And prices are down from last year to this.
After a we save to do windows and mini-split heat pumps, we’ll probably cover about 70% annualized.
Now I’m waiting for the power company to sign my net metering contract and in a few weeks, I’ll be adding to that chart!
That's it.
You can install them quite far north and they still pay for themselves in a few years
You can use them to roof a field and still farm underneath them. Some crops actually do better
On Dairy and Livestock farms the animals love them. Shade and rain protection and if you collect the rain in a trough a water supply
IE historically has had no natural resources for power, other than burning wood or peat. Solar and wind, however, are doing really well here. (We're waiting until we extend the house before getting solar.)
The ones that I've seen in BC are high enough to operate a combine under them
https://www.agritecture.com/blog/2022/2/3/largest-farm-to-grow-crops-under-solar-panels-proves-to-be-a-bumper-crop-for-agrivoltaic-land-use
https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/sustainability/news/2023/09/the-unexpected-reason-farmers-are-planting-crops-under-solar-panels/
And irrigation is not the solution, water isn't as easily available as people think
Plant recalls in Southern California and Mexico are because of overuse of water. Toxins build up in our food plants
Climate change is pushing the temperature sun and shade variables out of whack for many crops. This technology can tailor the micro environment for the use desired
For livestock, it provides shade and weather protection
My favored explanation for what's going on here: a disconnect between projecting in terms of installed capacity and displaying in terms of capacity added.
Full discussion in thread:
https://bsky.app/profile/spillersas.bsky.social/post/3ktm4krpvkc2h
They had a program going where people got a solar water heater for practically no cost
I don't know why they can't do two reference cases, one that assumes current programs continue at their present levels and the other that assumes current policies end when their current authorizations end and are replaced with nothing. Neither predicts future legislation.